Extrabiblical Examples Used to Illustrate Biblical Truths
Biblical texts frequently employ extrabiblical examples, common objects, and everyday occurrences to illustrate spiritual truths, making abstract concepts more accessible to their audiences. This method is evident throughout both the Old and New Testaments, ranging from simple comparisons to elaborate parables.
One common illustrative technique involves drawing parallels from daily life and familiar objects. For instance, Jesus often used "surprising, evocative imagery" in his parables, such as the mustard seed or leaven, to emphasize the contrast between insignificant beginnings and glorious consummation of the Kingdom of God, or to exhort disciples to patience [6]. In Luke's Gospel, Jesus critiques the Pharisees by drawing an illustration from the common practice of cleaning "the outside of the cup and platter," highlighting their focus on external purity over internal righteousness [3]. This approach demonstrates how profound spiritual lessons can be derived from the most ordinary aspects of life [3].
The Old Testament also utilizes historical events and natural phenomena as illustrative examples. The history of Israel, particularly events like the parting of the Red Sea, serves as a powerful illustration of God's "terrible works" and a warning to those who rebel against Him [4]. The experience of individuals, such as the psalmist, can illustrate God's righteous government, showing how both the rich and the poor, the helpless and the powerful, are called to acknowledge and worship God [5]. Even the natural world provides imagery; for example, God is sometimes depicted as using "weapons like theirs" to heighten the contrast in judgment [9].
Figurative language, such as metaphors and similes, also plays a significant role in illustrating biblical truths. Adultery, for example, is a recurring biblical image used to represent serving other gods, as seen in passages from Exodus, Judges, and Hosea [7]. Similarly, drunkenness in Scripture often depicts nations indulging in wanton and immoral behavior [7]. The concept of idolatry itself is illustrated through various actions, including bowing down to images, worshipping other gods, or even worshipping the true God through an image [2].
The New Testament continues this tradition of using illustrative examples, often building upon Old Testament themes. The apostle Paul, for instance, cites Old Testament passages to illustrate the vanity of worldly wisdom, drawing from both Eliphaz and David to confirm that "the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God" [10]. The Scriptures themselves, referred to as "testimonies," are described as "wonderful" due to their accounts of creation, providence, miracles, and their overall use and advantage [8].
The term "parable" itself, derived from the Greek parabole, signifies "placing beside or together," indicating a comparison or similitude [1]. This definition underscores the fundamental purpose of parables: to illustrate one subject by another [1]. This broad application of the term in the New Testament includes short proverbs, dark prophetic utterances, enigmatic maxims, and expanded metaphors [1]. This consistent use of extrabiblical examples and common illustrations across the biblical narrative highlights a pedagogical strategy designed to make divine truths relatable and understandable to diverse audiences.
Sources
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Parable — (The word parable is in Greek parable (parabole) which signifies placing beside or together, a comparison, a parable is therefore literally a placing beside, a comparison, a similitude, an illustration of one subject by another.--McClintock and Strong. As used in the New Testament it had a very wide application, being applied sometimes to the shortest proverbs, (1 Samuel 10:12; 24:13; 2 Chronicles 7:20) sometimes to dark prophetic utterances, (Numbers 23:7,18; 24:3; Ezekiel 20:49) sometimes to enigmatic maxims, (Psalms 78:2; Proverbs 1:6) or metaphors expand”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Idolatry — Forbidden -- Ex 20:2,3; De 5:7. Consists in Bowing down to images. -- Ex 20:5; De 5:9. Worshipping images. -- Isa 44:17; Da 3:5,10,15. Sacrificing to images. -- Ps 106:38; Ac 7:41. Worshipping other gods. -- De 30:17; Ps 81:9. Swearing by other gods. -- Ex 23:13; Jos 23:7. Walking after other gods. -- De 8:19. Speaking in the name of other gods. -- De 18:20. Looking to other gods. -- Ho 3:1. Serving other gods. -- De 7:4; Jer 5:19. Fearing other gods. -- 2Ki 17:35. Sacrificing to other gods. -- Ex 22:20. Worshipping the true God by an image, & c. -- Ex 32:”
- Luke (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Luke 11:39: cup and platter--remarkable example of our Lord's way of drawing the most striking illustrations of great truths from the most familiar objects and incidents of life. ravening--rapacity.”
- Psalms (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Psalms 66:5: The terrible works illustrated in Israel's history (Exo 14:21). By this example let rebels be admonished.”
- Psalms (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Psalms 22:27: His case illustrates God's righteous government. Beyond the existing time and people, others shall be brought to acknowledge and worship God; the fat ones, or the rich as well as the poor, the helpless who cannot keep themselves alive, shall together unite in celebrating God's delivering power, and transmit to unborn people the records of His grace.”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 13:31: 13:31-33 Jesus used surprising, evocative imagery in these parables, either to emphasize the inevitable growth of the Kingdom through proclamation of the gospel or, more probably, to emphasize the contrast between insignificant beginnings and glorious consummation, and to exhort the disciples to patience (see also 16:24–17:13).”
- Revelation (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Revelation 17:2: 17:2 Adultery with her is a biblical image for serving other gods (see, e.g., Exod 34:12-16; Judg 2:17; Hos 2). • drunk by . . . her immorality: Drunkenness in Scripture often depicts nations that indulge in wanton and immoral behavior (see Rev 18:3, 9; Jer 25:27; 51:7; Lam 4:21; Ezek 23:33).”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 119:125: PE.--The Seventeenth Part. PE. Thy testimonies are wonderful,.... The Scriptures, which testify of God, his mind and will, are wonderful both with respect to the author of them, the things contained in them, and the use and advantage of them. They give an account of the wonderful works of creation; of their author and matter; of the manner, order, and time of their being wrought: they relate many wonderful events of Providence, both in a way of mercy and judgment; they declare several surprising miracles, wrought by Moses and others, and exhibit many marvellous t”
- Psalms (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Psalms 64:7: The contrast is heightened by representing God as using weapons like theirs.”
- 1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 3:20: And again,.... Not in the same place, nor in the same book, but in the Psalms, in Psa 94:11. This form of citing Scriptures answers to and moreover, used by the Jewish doctors when the matter does not so clearly appear from the first proof, and therefore they produce another (q): and so here the apostle, for the further confirmation and illustration of this point, that the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, to the testimony of Eliphaz, adds this of David, the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain; in the Psalms it is, "the Lord ”